Giant pine scale

Current situation

Giant pine scale (Marchalina hellenica) is a scale insect that sucks the sap of pine trees. This scale insect is native to the eastern Mediterranean region, specifically Greece and Turkey. Excess sap is excreted from the scale as honeydew which ants and bees gather for food. In Greece the bees are farmed for this honeydew as it produces a specialty honey called pine honey.

Giant pine scale was recorded in Australia for the first time in November 2014 in metropolitan Melbourne and Adelaide. The Victorian and South Australian state departments of agriculture conducted surveillance and attempted to eradicate this pest. In 2016 it was nationally agreed that eradication of giant pine scale was not technically feasible.

New South Wales is free from this insect pest.

Notifiable status

Giant pine scale (Marchalina hellenica) is not a notifiable plant pest in NSW.

Spotlight

An exotic plant pest is a disease causing organism or an invertebrate (insect, mite, snail, nematode) not present in New South Wales which damages plants or plant products. If you suspect the presence of an exotic plant pest or disease, or if you see unusual symptoms on your plants, please phone Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881.